Collaborative Labs at St. Petersburg College Celebrates 20 Years of Creative Facilitation

ST. PETERSBURG. Fla., March 31, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2002, Dr. Carl Kuttler, then president of St. Petersburg College, took part in a planning session with other Florida college presidents in Orlando, Florida. From that experience, he decided that Pinellas County and Tampa Bay needed a state-of-the-art meeting center that could serve as a think tank for area businesses, government, and educational institutions. Through a partnership with the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners, that vision for the Collaborative Labs at SPC's EpiCenter in Clearwater was born.

Now in its twentieth year of operation, Collaborative Labs still offers leaders an environment to foster productive, engaging, and results-driven conversations using technology and fun, highly interactive engagements. This unique approach, combined with real-time records and visual illustrations ensures that meeting participants can absorb and progress with their plans and goals.

As the "consulting arm" of St. Petersburg College, Collaborative Labs has averaged nearly 200 facilitated events a year over the past 20 years. When organizations are challenged with a problem they cannot solve internally, the Collaborative Labs team is ready to serve as an extended strategic partner in planning, facilitated engagement, and complicated implementation plans. Over the past two decades, all three SPC presidents — Kuttler, Dr. William Law, and current SPC President Dr. Tonjua Williams — have leaned on Collaborative Labs as the strategic conveners to facilitate SPC and the region's most critical initiatives.

Executive Director Andrea Henning has been with Collaborative Labs since its inception. She believes that the key to its success is its people.

"So many entities have tried to duplicate or imitate, but no one has cracked the code," Henning said. "Our facilitating is strength-based, and our facilitation is still unique. Others have copied one or two elements, but where we stand out is our people. Our team becomes an extension of the clients. We become the easy button."

Collaborative Labs will formally celebrate its twentieth anniversary with an open house event to be announced in June. For more information about Collaborative Labs or to schedule a facilitation session, contact Branding and Business Development Consultant Laurie Hill at 727-302-6573 or [email protected], or visit their website at collaborativelabs.com.

About St. Petersburg College
Founded in 1927, St. Petersburg College (SPC) is Florida's first two-year college. Regionally accredited and nationally recognized, SPC offers more than 200 degree, certificate and transfer programs, including many high-demand, high-skill, industry-recognized workforce certifications. The College's career-focused curriculum is created with input from industry experts to provide students with real-world skills needed to meet the needs of today's employers.

SOURCE St. Petersburg College